How, Indeed
by Agent Slyfox
Summary: Sokka strikes again! Aang takes a massive hit and Katara comes to comfort him.


Hey, guys! I know this took a while but, well, here it is... As promised =)**  
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**Disclaimer:** Avatar: The Last Airbender belongs to a couple of dudes. I am not a dude.

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**How, Indeed**

It all started with an off-hand remark from her brother.

"_I honestly don't really understand what Katara sees in you. How did you make her fall for you, again?"_

Sokka would have been horrified if he knew the extent of the damage he caused. But as usual, the Water Tribe warrior was blissfully oblivious of it all. Aang knew that sure, he was just teasing…but that doesn't mean it didn't hurt.

"_I honestly don't really understand what Katara sees in you. How did you make her fall for you, again?"_

He supposed he deserved some of that. He, Sokka, and Toph were in the living area of their grand house in Ba Sing Se, lounging around as Katara and Suki went to the market to pick up some food. Aang had offered to come with, but his girlfriend insisted that he deserved a lazy day after all the meetings he had to attend for weeks. ("And besides, Suki and I are planning to make this some sort of girls' day out. I could use a bit of all-feminine company in an all-feminine activity. Spirits know I would have to drag Toph by the hair if it was just the two of us.")

And so soon after the two girls left, he found himself sprawled on a sofa with his other two bestfriends, reminiscing about their adventures as raucously as only they could manage.

He and Toph were ganging up on Sokka, teasing him about how he got together with Suki.

"Seriously, Snoozles. I think Fangirl is only keeping you around as a live target practice!" Toph had been saying as she laughed boisterously.

Sokka was so red in the face, Aang thought his head was gonna explode. Feeling cornered and yet knowing he could never win against the earthbending prodigy, the older boy rounded on him instead and lashed out in an oddly triumphant manner.

"_Oh yeah? Well…. I honestly don't really understand what Katara sees in you. How did you make her fall for you, again?"_

And there was that horrid statement.

He had forced out a laugh right after that but the thought had indeed sunk in painfully and taken root. Toph, sensing the damage, smoothly steered the topic into shallower waters. After sharing a few more moments with his friends, he quietly retreated to the bedroom he shared with Katara and sulked.

"_I honestly don't really understand what Katara sees in you. How did you make her fall for you, again?"_

The young Avatar groaned again as he repeatedly hit his head against the bedpost, trying to dislodge the heinous mantra clinging viciously into his mind like a purple pentopus.

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**Katara POV**

Suki and I walked into the house just as Toph gave my brother a pretty violent whack in the back of the head. Even I had to wince just seeing it. And judging by Sokka's demeanor, it wasn't the first hit he took either.

"Toph, I told you already, no hitting anybody," I chastised the feisty earthbender firmly as I followed Suki into the kitchen to unload the produce we got. "At least not that hard," I muttered to myself. As his sister, I know Sokka must've done something to provoke that reaction from our irate friend.

"Oooh trust me, Sugar Queen. You'll do more damage to this knucklehead once you found out what he's done!"

"Don't listen to her, Katara. You know how she exaggerates!" Sokka exclaimed while rubbing his sore head. He looked at Toph warily as if she was going to smack him again. Which she most probably would.

"Oh?" I raised my eyebrow at them. "Now I'm intrigued. Do tell."

Toph was only too happy to oblige.

By the time she finished with her story, I was ready to skin Sokka alive with his own boomerang. I took a step towards him just as Suki caught my arm and whispered, "Go see Aang. I'll deal with Sokka."

"This isn't over, _brother dear_," I gave him a dark look that promised painful retribution. I had the satisfaction of seeing him swallow nervously as I turned and stalked towards the stairs in search for my boyfriend.

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"Aang?" I called down the hallway.

"In here." Came the muffled reply.

I followed his voice and slowly opened the door to our bedroom. I found him sitting on the bed, leaning against one of the bedposts with his back slightly turned from me. Even at that angle, I can see his shoulders slightly droop and can almost imagine his dejected expression. "Are you okay, sweetie?"

He mutely cast me a forlorn glance before hanging his head again, grabbing a pillow in the process.

"Toph told me what happened," I started as I went to sit beside him on the bed. "You should know by now not to listen to half of what Sokka says."

"No. He's right. Really, Katara…how did I even manage to snag someone like you?" he muttered, playing absently with the fringes of the pillow.

"What do you mean?"

"I can't give you anything. I'm not rich. Heck, I don't even have a family or a home to my name!"

"Hey, now," I frowned. "You know that's not true. I've told you before, Sokka and I and the rest of our friends are your family now. You're not alone, Aang. You never will be again. Wherever we are, as long as we're together, _that's_ home," I said as I reached out to stroke his cheek gently. "As for the rich part? If you haven't noticed, I'm not either. And besides, I didn't pick you because I wanted to go swimming in gold." I rolled my eyes in an attempt to make him smile.

He still wasn't looking at me.

"There are plenty other powerful benders out there." He continued to rant, appearing not to hear what I said. "How do you even know that Aunt Wu was talking about me? Plus, I don't really fit into any of the characteristics you want in a guy. I'm not handsome or charming. And I'm definitely not tall!"

"Aw, sweetie. Are you fishing for a compliment?" I couldn't resist teasing him.

"Kataraaaa…"

I chuckled. "Alright, alright. Listen to me Aang, you're plenty charming already. How do you think do you get all those crabby diplomats and surly politicians to listen to you, young as you may be?" I asked him. "In fact if you get anymore charming, we'll have to start beating back your mob of fangirls with sticks," I tried to make him smile again.

Still nothing.

"And look, you may not be really tall right now but you will be in a few years. You're already a lot taller than when we found you in that iceberg. You just turned thirteen, sweetie. Give it some time and you'll start towering over all of us," I said as I gave him a toothy grin.

He raised his head slightly to give me a half-hearted smile that looked a lot more like a grimace_. Good grief, I must be really bad at this whole joking business. _I couldn't help my own wince at the thought.

Then I realized something. "Wait a minute. Are you _seriously_….serious about this?"

"Of course, I am!" he exclaimed. He was standing now, his anxiety rolling off of him in waves.

"Why?" I asked completely puzzled now.

"I told you. I don't deserve you at all! I'm just a skinny little runt who happens to be the Avatar. And you! You're a beautiful….goddess! You deserve a dashing, powerful, _tall_ man like….like Zuko!" he exclaimed, gesturing wildly with his arms as he started pacing. "I—I'd totally understand it if you got tired of me and leave me for someone else." He looked visibly deflated after that declaration.

_Zuko? Ew._ I couldn't help make a face as he made that pronouncement. I'd rather not be with a guy who tried to kill us so many times in the past, thank you very much. I know he's changed and he's our friend now…but it's just really so hard to completely let go of the past. _Especially when his actions almost cost me this wonderful guy pacing crazily in front of me…_ And besides, if I had to spend more time with his emo butt, I'll probably start tearing my hair out.

Then suddenly, a devious little idea occurred to me.

I kept a straight face as I retorted. "Oh yeah, Zuko…would you rather I run off with him right now or after I make out with him in front of you?" Aang whipped his head towards me, eyes wide, horrified that I'd take him up on the offer.

Sure that I had his attention now, I put my hand over my forehead in an overly dramatic gesture. "Oh, Zuko. How can I ever live another day without your _smoldering_ presence!" I chanced a glance at him and saw that his eyes were about to pop out of their sockets.

I couldn't keep in anymore and finally collapsed into the bed in a fit of giggles as Aang stood glowering at me, crossing his arms tightly over his chest, finally catching on.

"Not funny, Katara."

"Oh, you deserved that for all the pranks you pulled on me," I guffawed.

He still wasn't smiling.

I was getting worried now. Aang doesn't usually indulge in self-pity. Sokka must really hit a nerve with him. _After we're done here, I'm going to have a_ really_ long talk with that idiot brother of mine. _Meanwhile, I have a job to do with this (currently insecure) boy I love. I'm starting to miss his sunny personality.

"To be honest, Aang…I do know how you feel…" I stated quietly, sobering up.

He turned to me, a look of confusion written on his face. "I know because…that's exactly how I feel," I admitted to him.

"…What do you mean?"

"Well…as you have said….You're the _Avatar_. And I'm just a Water tribe peasant…."

"Katara-"

"Wait, just listen. You are a really wonderful person, Aang. That, on top of being the Avatar and the last remaining airbender. You are important all over the world. You're _indispensible_. Everywhere you go people recognize you and _love_ you. And me? I may be a master myself but there are a lot of other waterbending masters out there….There are a lot of other _girls_ out there…" My heart grows heavy as my own insecurities surface, but I plod forward anyway… He needs to understand.

"I keep asking myself the very same question, you know… How did I ever deserve you? Me, an ordinary girl from a tiny village at the bottom of the world. My only unique claim on you ever was that I set you free from your ice prison. You, the world's last hope for peace..."

He was quiet again now, a look of fierce protectiveness and love slowly dawning in his eyes. It warmed me all over to realize that that emotion is for me. _Only_ for me. I couldn't stop my confession. He needs to know how much he means to me, so I continued. "You got it wrong, sweetie. _I _don't deserve you."

"Katara, you listen to me," he stated firmly, grabbing me by the shoulders. "You have to-"

"Stop?" I raised my eyebrows at him.

"Well…yeah," he shrugged, starting to get it. "You sound _absolutely_ ridiculous."

I placed my hand over his cheek and stroked lightly. "So do you, sweetie," I told him softly. "Just as you think you are not deserving of my affections, I don't think I am for yours either... You see my point now?"

I guess it wouldn't be so bad if we each thought we don't deserve the other. _That way, we'd never forget to treat each other as lovingly as when we first confessed our feelings for each other,_ I smiled to myself. I have long since reconciled myself to the fact that I may never really measure up to Aang. I have done nothing to deserve a precious gift such as him, but I'll hold on to him anyway.

Maybe that makes me selfish…

And maybe...just maybe...That makes us right.

Because for some reason, he chose me.

Out of all the beautiful, rich, intelligent and confident girls in the world, he chose _me_.

That makes me deliriously happy.

And deep inside, _I_ can make him happy, I know it.

"People see you as the almighty Avatar. And that's true…that's part of who you are. But you know what I love most about you, Aang? It's that even with all that happened… You remained, well…_you_. A boy who understood me even without words. Someone who never failed to make me smile. Somebody who loved me even after I hurt him. A guy who accepted me for all that I am. _My_ Aang…" His face was radiant now. I could go on and on if only to keep seeing that happiness in him.

"Now stop moping around," I teased. "Zuko's probably starting to get scared that you'd take over his position as our resident angst-filled teenager," I laughed softly. "Plus, I'm starting to miss my soon-to-be-tall, not-insecure, charming, kind, loving boyfriend."

He smiled cheekily as he pecked me gently on the lips before pulling me into a tight hug. "You forgot handsome."

"Oh yeah," I rolled my eyes playfully, pulling away slightly to look him in the eyes. "Not handsome though…" His face fell slightly as I put my finger on my chin, pretending to think it over.

"Gorgeous."I corrected him with a huge smirk. "My _gorgeous_ boyfriend," I giggled as I hugged him back, pleased with my handiwork.

I was about pull back to give him another kiss when a thought suddenly occurred to me.

Boy, this gorgeous airbender's gonna be in a _lot_ of trouble.

"Aang?" I asked, not loosening my grip on him.

"Yes, sweetie?" I can feel him still smiling widely. _Oh, he won't be smiling soon enough._

"How did you know about Aunt Wu's predictions for me?"

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Sooo, whaddaya guys think? ;P


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